Sexual Dysfunction

Hair-loss products that contain the drug finasteride and are sold under the brand names Propecia and Proscar are known to cause sexual side effects in some men. But a new study suggests that the sexual dysfunction can last for several months after stopping the medications. Researchers interviewed 71 men age 21 to 46 who were in good health but claimed they experienced sexual side effects after beginning finasteride. The men reported various problems such as erectile dysfunction (92% experienced this)

A supplement promoted for improving sexual dysfunction in women does not do so in cancer patients, but it does improve their quality of life, researchers said Monday. ArginMax for Women is marketed as a sexual enhancement aid, but its benefits for that purpose are not apparent, a team from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., reported at a Chicago meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ArginMax is made from a patented formula containing a proprietary blend of the amino acid L-arginine, ginseng, gingko and 14 vitamins and minerals noted for boosting energy and circulation and optimizing hormonal balance.

A supplement promoted for improving sexual dysfunction in women does not do so in cancer patients, but it does improve their quality of life, researchers said Monday. ArginMax for Women is marketed as a sexual enhancement aid, but its benefits for that purpose are not apparent, a team from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., reported at a Chicago meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ArginMax is made from a patented formula containing a proprietary blend of the amino acid L-arginine, ginseng, gingko and 14 vitamins and minerals noted for boosting energy and circulation and optimizing hormonal balance.

Hair-loss products that contain the drug finasteride and are sold under the brand names Propecia and Proscar are known to cause sexual side effects in some men. But a new study suggests that the sexual dysfunction can last for several months after stopping the medications. Researchers interviewed 71 men age 21 to 46 who were in good health but claimed they experienced sexual side effects after beginning finasteride. The men reported various problems such as erectile dysfunction (92% experienced this)

June 28, 2010 | By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Special to the Los Angeles Times

A "little pink pill" to solve women's sexual problems probably won't be hitting drugstore shelves anytime soon. But that doesn't mean discussion of the need for it, or lack thereof, is likely to end. On June 18, an advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration recommended against the approval of flibanserin, which had been touted as a female Viagra. The FDA can accept or reject the panel's advice but usually chooses to follow it. In many drug approval proceedings, that would be the end of the matter.

"I have said that I could live the rest of my life without ever having sex again," mused a lithe, stylish West Los Angeles mother of two who has been with her husband for 17 years. "Then when I have sex and get into it, it surprises me. I think oh, this is great." The woman said that she doesn't know why her interest in sex has diminished so dramatically.

"They have Viagra," says the woman in the advertisement. "Now we have Avlimil." The ad for the herbal supplement, which promises "an enhanced libido" and a "more frequent and satisfying climax," is among the first campaigns touting pharmacological remedies for a condition called "female sexual dysfunction." Others promise to follow, as researchers at companies such as Pfizer Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co.

Perhaps since Adam and Eve got booted out of the Garden of Eden, aphrodisiacs have intrigued us. Only recently, however, have research and writings taken aphrodisiacs from the mystical to the medical realm, giving new credence to the notion that lotions and potions can stimulate desire and enhance sexual experiences.

"Crimes of Passion" (1984), directed by Ken Russell. 101 minutes. Available in both R- and X-rated versions. An eye-popping, raw black comedy, both blatant and ribald in its vision of sexual dysfunction. Kathleen Turner is an upscale fashion designer by day and sadomasochistic hooker by night. Tony Perkins is the loon in priest's clothing who shadows her.

A group of physicians associated with Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach has opened a clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of sexual dysfunction in men and women. Although many area clinics treat male sexual dysfunction, centers equipped to diagnose and treat sexual problems of women are rare, said Dr. Allan Shanberg, director of the Memorial Center for Sexual Function, which opened Monday. "Roles are changing," said Shanberg, a staff urologist at the medical center.

Women with low sexual arousal who took a placebo drug showed an improvement in symtpoms, a new study finds. The 12-week double-blind study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine , followed 50 women who were diagnosed with female sexual arousal disorder and randomly given a placebo as part of a pharmaceutical trial sponsored by Eli Lilly/ICOS (the company agreed to release the results of those who took the placebo). The women in the study reported 1,292 sexual events during the 12-week trial.

June 28, 2010 | By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Special to the Los Angeles Times

A "little pink pill" to solve women's sexual problems probably won't be hitting drugstore shelves anytime soon. But that doesn't mean discussion of the need for it, or lack thereof, is likely to end. On June 18, an advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration recommended against the approval of flibanserin, which had been touted as a female Viagra. The FDA can accept or reject the panel's advice but usually chooses to follow it. In many drug approval proceedings, that would be the end of the matter.

An experimental non-hormonal drug appears to help women increase their sexual desire and satisfaction -- and reduce the distress associated with lack of desire. About one in 10 women are thought to suffer from sufficient lack of sexual desire for it to be distressing for them. But few good therapeutic options exist. The most common treatments for female sexual dysfunction currently are creams spread on the vagina that lead to engorgement of blood vessels. The results of a new clinical trial, reported Nov. 16, will provide Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals of Germany ammunition to approach the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval.

The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Tuesday not to buy or use the supplements Actra-Rx or Yilishen because they contained an ingredient that could lower blood pressure to unsafe levels. The FDA also instructed employees to block imports of the supplements, calling them "dangerous ... and even life-threatening." The agency said the supplement had the name Yilishen when it was imported from China and was sold as Actra-Rx in the U.S.

"They have Viagra," says the woman in the advertisement. "Now we have Avlimil." The ad for the herbal supplement, which promises "an enhanced libido" and a "more frequent and satisfying climax," is among the first campaigns touting pharmacological remedies for a condition called "female sexual dysfunction." Others promise to follow, as researchers at companies such as Pfizer Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co.

"I have said that I could live the rest of my life without ever having sex again," mused a lithe, stylish West Los Angeles mother of two who has been with her husband for 17 years. "Then when I have sex and get into it, it surprises me. I think oh, this is great." The woman said that she doesn't know why her interest in sex has diminished so dramatically.

DuPont Co. Settles 220 Fungicide Lawsuits: The company said it will pay $214 million to settle close to half the 560 suits against it relating to a controversial fungicide that farmers say ruined crops and led to sexual dysfunction. The settlement is the latest effort by the chemical giant to put behind it the long-simmering dispute over farmers' claims against Benlate DF 50.

In her article "Second--Even Third--Thoughts on Circumcision," (Jan. 16), Robin Abcarian describes how R. Wayne Griffiths, founder of RECAP--one of a network of anti-circumcision groups--claims his sex life greatly improved after stretching his foreskin. As a urologist, it's easy to argue, not with Griffiths' personal feelings, but with the implication that circumcision affects sexual performance. During the past 25 years, neither I nor my associates have ever seen one person complain of diminished sexual capacity as a result of being circumcised.

Jennifer and Laura Berman didn't go looking to become torchbearers for the female sexuality movement so much as it came looking for them. When the two sisters--one a urologist, the other a psychotherapist--set up practice together at a low-profile Boston urology clinic in 1998, their goal was to improve the treatments available for women suffering from sexual disorders. Their timing, as it turned out, was perfect.